October Faculty

Sandy Garrett is Chief Disciplinary Counsel for the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. She has been with the Board of Professional Responsibility since October, 1992. She earned her J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University in 1989. She is the former Chairperson of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Ethics Committee and Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Ethics Committee and is currently a member of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court. Ms. Garrett has supervised the Board’s litigation section and was instrumental in developing and implementing the Board of Professional Responsibility’s diversion program.

Barry L. GoldMcWilliams & Gold, Chattanooga

Barry L. Gold, a founding partner of Gold & McWilliams in Chattanooga, has been selected for inclusion in Mid-South Super Lawyers®, in the area of family law, an honor bestowed on only 5% of the lawyers in Tennessee. Mr. Gold practices almost exclusively in the areas of family law and mediation, and is a frequent speaker and lecturer on family law and related topics before a variety of professional groups. Mr. Gold chaired the 2010–2011 Tennessee Bar Association Family Law Section, and the 2010-2011 Chattanooga Bar Association’s Family Law Section. He was the chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Family Law Section 2003-2004, and he has been a member of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Family Law Executive Committee since 2002. Since 2007, Mr. Gold has served as a hearing officer for the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. In 2005, Mr. Gold served as a member of the Tennessee Department of Human Services Income Shares Advisory Committee. Since 1983, Mr. Gold has been licensed to practice in Tennessee and Georgia. He received his A.B. degree magna cum laude and his J.D. degree cumlaude from the University of Georgia, where he was elected to the Order of Barristers and Phi Beta Kappa.

James (Jimmy) D. Helton, IIHelton Law Office, Brentwood

James (Jimmy) D. Helton, II, with the Helton Law Office in Brentwood, focuses his practice on domestic relations order drafting and litigation in state and federal court. In that capacity, he works closely with family lawyers and their clients in the post-divorce division of ERISA, federal, military, and state retirement plans. Mr. Helton also advises family law attorneys during mediation on the best practices for their marital dissolution agreements and on specific issues that are unique to each parties’ retirement. Mr. Helton graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2005.

Judge Jeff HollingsworthCircuit court, Hamilton County

Judge Jeff Hollingsworth is a circuit court judge in Hamilton County. He practiced law for over 28 years before being elected to the bench in August 2006. He is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Tennessee Supreme Court Commission on Specialization. He is a former prosecutor with the Hamilton County District Attorney’s office and a former shareholder of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel PC. He has also been elected as a Fellow of the Chattanooga and Tennessee Bar Foundations.

Stanley A. Kweller is a member of Jackson, Kweller, McKinney, Warden, Lewis & Hayes in Nashville. A majority of his legal experience involves litigation and trials in the civil and criminal arenas. Mr. Kweller has had an active trial practice, including jury and non-jury trials at all levels including federal and state courts and appellate matters. He spent 10 years as a criminal prosecutor. Mr. Kweller’s current practice is a mixture of domestic relations law (including child support, custody and visitation, divorce, and mediation and collaborative law), general civil litigation (personal injury work), commercial litigation, employer/employee litigation, criminal law, and business and commercial law. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, Middle and Eastern districts. Mr. Kweller earned his B.A. degree from Emory University and his J.D. degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Brenton LankfordStites & Harbison PLLC, Nashville

Brenton Lankford is a family law attorney in the Nashville office of the law firm of Stites & Harbison, PLLC. Mr. Lankford practices primarily in the field of domestic relations, assisting clients with divorce and post-divorce matters, including issues of child custody, child support, alimony, and financial and property disputes. Prior to private practice, he served as the judicial clerk to the judges of the 21st Judicial District of Tennessee, which includes Williamson, Hickman, Perry, and Lewis counties. Mr. Lankford was named a Mid-South Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2015). He is a member of the Harry Phillips American Inns of Court and the Nashville Bar Association. Mr. Lankford earned his B.A. degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Mississippi College, School of Law.

Jeffrey L. LevyNashville attorney

Jeffrey L. Levy, Nashville attorney, has represented individuals in divorce and family law matters since 1997. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Levy earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago. Mr. Levy frequently lectures to lawyers and other groups. He was the past Chairman of the Family Law section of the Tennessee Bar Association, Chairman of the Family Law Code Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association for the last four years, Former Chairman of the Domestic Chambers Committee for Nashville, as well as a member of the American Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association, Williamson County and Tennessee Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Family Law Code Reform Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association, and he is the Vice-Chairman of the Domestic Violence Intervention Center, Inc.

Sean J. MartinMartin Heller Potempa & Sheppard, Nashville

Sean J. Martin, with Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard PLLC in Nashville, focuses his practice in two areas – personal injury and family law. Mr. Martin has been recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as a Super Lawyer in the field of plaintiff’s personal injury. In addition, he was named as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers Organization. Mr. Martin is a member of the Nashville, Tennessee, and American Bar Associations. He is a member of the Plaintiff’s Personal Injury and Family Law Section of each bar association as well. Mr. Martin’s experience with family law began in 1999 in Judge Marietta Shipley’s court, where he was her clerk for two years after law school. He assisted Judge Shipley with all aspects of her family docket with issues ranging from simple uncontested divorces to complex child custody cases and everything in between. He then went to Cornelius & Collins, LLP, and after a few years started his own firm with Kevin Sharp and Jay Drescher, among others. He has been with Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard PLLC since 2013. He has represented both men and women in every conceivable domestic situation, including cases where emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse of one party or the parties’ children has been alleged. For the last 14 years, his practice has been split evenly between family law and personal injury.

Chancellor Larry McMillan has served as Chancellor in the Chancery Court for the 19th Judicial District serving Montgomery and Robertson counties since 2004.

Marlene MosesMTR Family Law, PLLC, Nashville

Marlene Moses, founding Manager of MTR Family Law, PLLC, in Nashville, has long been recognized as an outstanding family law practitioner. She is Board certified as a Family Law Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Best Lawyers in America® has included her in its publication as a specialist in family law and she is named as a Mid-South Super Lawyer in its yearly publication. A certified Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and past President, she met the stringent requirements of membership. The approximately 1,600 AAML Fellows across the United States are recognized by judges and attorneys as preeminent practitioners with a high level of knowledge, skill, and integrity. Ms. Moses is one of only 100 members across the country who was selected as a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers and she serves on its Executive Committee. Serving as Vice-President of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, her practice is international, as well. She was designated as the first Family Law Specialist in the State of Tennessee by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. She is Board Certified as a Family Law Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Kevin W. ShepherdMaryville attorney

Kevin W. Shepherd has more than 27 years of experience and is the owner of Shepherd and Associates, PC, with office in both Maryville and Franklin. He practices in the areas of family law, divorce, personal injury, criminal defense, appellate practice, and general practice. He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 family law mediator. Mr. Shepherd is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and is a well-received speaker at legal seminars. He earned his B.S. degree from LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas; and his J.D. degree from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Judge Keith Siskin serves as circuit judge in the 16th Judicial District, which serves Cannon and Rutherford counties. He was appointed to the bench in 2012 by Governor Bill Haslam and elected to an eight-year term in August 2014. After graduating from law school in 1997, Judge Siskin moved to Murfreesboro and accepted a position as Law Clerk of the Chancery Court for Rutherford County. After serving as Law Clerk for a year, Judge Siskin accepted a position with a law firm in Nashville, and thereafter started his own law practice in Murfreesboro. In 2002, Judge Siskin was admitted as an Attorney and Counsellor of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2004, Judge Siskin was appointed by Judge Donna Scott Davenport as Referee/Magistrate of the Rutherford County Juvenile Court, in which capacity he continued to serve until his appointment to the bench in 2012.

Greg SmithStites & Harbison PLLC, Nashville

Greg Smith, a member of the Family Law Service Group of Stites & Harbison PLLC, in Nashville, focuses his practice primarily on divorce, custody litigation, support disputes and neglect cases. He has helped clients find and recover children abducted by former spouses and obtained help for children with disabilities. He has experience in international custody litigation in both state and federal courts. His appeals include a Tennessee Supreme Court case that set the standard for subject matter jurisdiction in child support cases. He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America® since 2008 in Family Law. He has been named to the “Best of the Bar” by the Nashville Business Journal and has chaired the Juvenile Court Committee and the Circuit and Chancery Court Committee of the Nashville Bar Association. He served on the board of directors of the Nashville Bar Association from 2002-04.

Judge Thomas S. Wright has served the Third Judicial District – which consists of Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, and Hawkins counties – as a circuit court judge since his election in 2006. Prior to his election as circuit judge, he served as the general sessions and juvenile judge for Greene County, having been elected to that position in 1998.

December Faculty

Amy AmundsenRice, Amundsen & Caperton PLLC, Memphis

Amy Amundsen is a partner in the Memphis law firm of Rice, Amundsen & Caperton PLLC. Ms. Amundsen is a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys (2010 to present) and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys (2008 to present). She has been recognized as a Family Law Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy since 2001. She has been a Rule 31 Listed Family Mediator since 2001, and she was trained in Collaborative Law by the American Academy of Matrimonial Law. She has been chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Alimony Bench Book Committee since 2000. She was president of the Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court from 2010 to 2011. She is a past president of the Memphis Bar Association (2007-2008).

Judge Joe BinkleyCircuit court, Davidson County

Judge Joe Binkley was appointed judge of Division V of the circuit court of Davidson County in March 2008 and elected in August 2008. He is the presiding judge of the Davidson County circuit courts. Judge Binkley hears predominantly civil cases; however, upon request, he has also been available to hear DUI criminal cases, divorce cases, chancery cases and probate cases. Judge Binkley began his career in 1969 as an attorney in private practice. He continued to work in that capacity until his appointment to the court in 2008. Judge Binkley received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1966 and his J.D. from the Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1969.

Judge Robert L. ChildersCircuit court, Shelby County

Judge Robert L. Childers has been the presiding judge of Division 9 of the Circuit Court in Memphis since 1984 and chair of the Civil Pattern Jury Instruction Committee for the Tennessee Judicial Conference since 1991. Judge Childers serves on the American Bar Association’s advisory commission created to assist lawyers and other legal professionals with addiction and other personal problems. He is a past president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference and has served as a Special Judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel.

J. Todd FaulknerLaw Office of J. Todd Faulkner, Nashville

J. Todd Faulkner, is a sole practitioner with The Law Office of J. Todd Faulkner in Nashville, where his areas of practice include civil tort law litigation, criminal law and domestic law. He is a frequent lecturer on insurance litigation to various business and professional groups. Mr. Faulkner is a member of the Nashville Bar Association. He earned his B.A. degree from Middle Tennessee State University and his J.D. degree from the Nashville School of Law.

Barry L. GoldMcWilliams & Gold, Chattanooga

Barry L. Gold, a founding partner of Gold & McWilliams in Chattanooga, has been selected for inclusion in Mid-South Super Lawyers®, in the area of family law, an honor bestowed on only 5% of the lawyers in Tennessee. Mr. Gold practices almost exclusively in the areas of family law and mediation, and is a frequent speaker and lecturer on family law and related topics before a variety of professional groups. Mr. Gold chaired the 2010–2011 Tennessee Bar Association Family Law Section, and the 2010-2011 Chattanooga Bar Association’s Family Law Section. He was the chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Family Law Section 2003-2004, and he has been a member of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Family Law Executive Committee since 2002. Since 2007, Mr. Gold has served as a hearing officer for the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. In 2005, Mr. Gold served as a member of the Tennessee Department of Human Services Income Shares Advisory Committee. Since 1983, Mr. Gold has been licensed to practice in Tennessee and Georgia. He received his A.B. degree magna cum laude and his J.D. degree cumlaude from the University of Georgia, where he was elected to the Order of Barristers and Phi Beta Kappa.

James (Jimmy) D. Helton, IIHelton Law Office, Brentwood

James (Jimmy) D. Helton, II, with the Helton Law Office in Brentwood, focuses his practice on domestic relations order drafting and litigation in state and federal court. In that capacity, he works closely with family lawyers and their clients in the post-divorce division of ERISA, federal, military, and state retirement plans. Mr. Helton also advises family law attorneys during mediation on the best practices for their marital dissolution agreements and on specific issues that are unique to each parties’ retirement. Mr. Helton graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2005.

Candi HenryDodson Parker Behm & Capparella PC, Nashville

Candi Henry is Of Counsel with Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, PC, in Nashville. She advises municipal agencies, companies, and individuals on a wide range of business, employment, and contract matters. Her litigation practice focuses on handling appeals. In both 2014 and 2015, she was included on the Mid-South Super Lawyers® “Rising Star” List – a designation limited to 2.5% of attorneys in the state. Ms. Henry is in-demand as an author and speaker. She has presented Continuing Legal Education seminars for organizations such as Tennessee Attorneys Memo, the Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, and Belmont University College of Law. She served for more than seven years as Associate Editor of the Tennessee Tort Law Letter, a monthly publication providing case summaries and analysis to attorneys across the state. She has also served as Assistant Editor of the Tennessee Appellate Practice Handbook and as an Assistant Editor of the Tennessee Practice Series.

Sean J. MartinMartin Heller Potempa & Sheppard, Nashville

Sean J. Martin, with Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard PLLC in Nashville, focuses his practice in two areas – personal injury and family law. Mr. Martin has been recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as a Super Lawyer in the field of plaintiff’s personal injury. In addition, he was named as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers Organization. Mr. Martin is a member of the Nashville, Tennessee, and American Bar Associations. He is a member of the Plaintiff’s Personal Injury and Family Law Section of each bar association as well. Mr. Martin’s experience with family law began in 1999 in Judge Marietta Shipley’s court, where he was her clerk for two years after law school. He assisted Judge Shipley with all aspects of her family docket with issues ranging from simple uncontested divorces to complex child custody cases and everything in between. He then went to Cornelius & Collins, LLP, and after a few years started his own firm with Kevin Sharp and Jay Drescher, among others. He has been with Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard PLLC since 2013. He has represented both men and women in every conceivable domestic situation, including cases where emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse of one party or the parties’ children has been alleged. For the last 14 years, his practice has been split evenly between family law and personal injury.

Judge Phillip R. RobinsonCircuit court, Davidson County

Judge Phillip R. Robinson was appointed to the Davidson County circuit court, Division III, in March 2012 to replace Judge Barbara Haynes, who retired. He was elected to the position in August 2012. Before taking the bench, Judge Robinson practiced almost exclusively in the area of divorce and family law for 34 years. He served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Domestic Relations Committee of the Nashville Bar Association and is a member of both the Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations. He helped draft changes in domestic legislation and has testified before various legislative committees on new domestic legislation. He is a frequent speaker at seminars dealing with divorce and family law.

Kevin W. ShepherdMaryville attorney

Kevin W. Shepherd has more than 27 years of experience and is the owner of Shepherd and Associates, PC, with office in both Maryville and Franklin. He practices in the areas of family law, divorce, personal injury, criminal defense, appellate practice, and general practice. He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 family law mediator. Mr. Shepherd is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and is a well-received speaker at legal seminars. He earned his B.S. degree from LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas; and his J.D. degree from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Greg SmithStites & Harbison PLLC, Nashville

Greg Smith, a member of the Family Law Service Group of Stites & Harbison PLLC, in Nashville, focuses his practice primarily on divorce, custody litigation, support disputes and neglect cases. He has helped clients find and recover children abducted by former spouses and obtained help for children with disabilities. He has experience in international custody litigation in both state and federal courts. His appeals include a Tennessee Supreme Court case that set the standard for subject matter jurisdiction in child support cases. He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America® since 2008 in Family Law. He has been named to the “Best of the Bar” by the Nashville Business Journal and has chaired the Juvenile Court Committee and the Circuit and Chancery Court Committee of the Nashville Bar Association. He served on the board of directors of the Nashville Bar Association from 2002-04.

Eileen Burkhalter Smith is Disciplinary Counsel at the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. She is responsible for investigating disciplinary complaints against attorneys practicing in Tennessee, including analysis of Tennessee Supreme Court disciplinary rules and procedures and application of the rules to varying situations. She is a regular presenter at Continuing Legal Education seminars about the disciplinary rules and procedures. She makes regular presentations to the Board of Professional Responsibility about applicable matters. She was previously with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP (partner, 2009-11, and associate, 2001-08). She received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and her J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Judge Joseph A. Woodruff has served as a Tennessee Circuit Court Judge in the 21st Judicial District – which consists of Hickman, Lewis, Perry, and Williamson counties – since 2014. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was a partner at the Nashville law firm of Waller, Lansden, Dortch & Davis, where he practiced law from 1987 to 2014. He received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Alabama School of Law.

October Agenda

October 6 (Day 1)

8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.Legislative ReviewJeff LevyNashville attorney

Mr. Levy will review new laws from the 2016 legislative session, including:

Get up-to-date on the most recent decisions in the family law area from Tennessee’s appellate courts on child support, child custody, visitation, alimony, and more. As the speaker says, “Most of the important cases and all of the fun ones,” including every case in which the divorce lasted longer than the marriage.

Mr. Helton will address best practices for drafting MDA language to divide retirement plans in Tennessee divorces and will cover the recent changes in Tennessee law allowing state and local governments to accept Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs).

October 7 (Day 2)

Mr. Martin will discuss current developments in document management and retention, timekeeping, and billing capabilities, offer tips about server based versus cloud based networks, and explore the wireless and paperless law office.

Judge Hollingsworth will offer tips on how to seek alimony for your client or argue against it and will walk you through the factors a judge considers when deciding whether or not to modify or terminate an alimony award.

Psychological and custody evaluations: How they relate to custody and visitation

12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Lunch (included with registration)

1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.Friends and Followers: An Attorney’s Ethical Use of Social MediaSandy GarrettChief Disciplinary Counsel, Board of Professional Responsibility

Ms. Garrett will address ethical challenges presented by social media and offer guidelines for compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct with regard to confidentiality, online advertising and solicitation, use of social media for clients, and judges and social media.

If your client is petitioning to move with a custodial child, or if your client wishes to prevent the other parent from moving with the child, what are their options? What factors will Tennessee courts consider in deciding whether to allow the parent to relocate with the child(ren)? Will the parent’s relocation result in a change of custody?

4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.Contract Law for Family Lawyers: Essential Contract Principles for Enforcing Prenups and MDAsBrent LankfordStites & Harbison

What you’ve forgotten since law school – essential elements of and defenses to contract

Antenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements – best practices for drafting and enforcing

MDAs, final decrees, and post-judgment enforcement

December Agenda

December 1 (Day 1)

Learn from a trial judge and former family law practitioner what you need to know about collecting attorney fees in family law matters and how to use civil and criminal contempt for violation of orders.

Let Ms. Amundsen walk you through some of the issues arising in the area of spousal support. You’ll learn when and how to seek in futuro alimony, in solido alimony, rehabilitative alimony, and transitional alimony.

Get up-to-date on the most recent decisions in the family law area from Tennessee’s appellate courts on child support, child custody, visitation, alimony, and more. As the speaker says, “Most of the important cases and all of the fun ones,” including every case in which the divorce lasted longer than the marriage.

Judge Robinson will discuss issues that arise when dividing parties’ marital property and debts, including when and how to use experts, how to divide parties’ debts, and the commingling of personal and marital property.

December 2 (Day 2)

8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.E-Discovery and Social Media in DivorceTodd FaulknerLaw Office of J. Todd Faulkner

E-discovery issues

Home and work computers (email chains and deleted files)

Smartphones and tablets

Social media tips and tricks – finding and using information from social media sites

Mr. Martin will discuss current developments in document management and retention, timekeeping, and billing capabilities, offer tips about server based versus cloud based networks, and explore the wireless and paperless law office.

Mr. Helton will address best practices for drafting MDA language to divide retirement plans in Tennessee divorces and will cover the recent changes in Tennessee law allowing state and local governments to accept Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs).

12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Lunch (included with registration)

1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.Friends and Followers: An Attorney’s Ethical Use of Social MediaEileen Burkhalter SmithDisciplinary Counsel, Board of Professional Responsibility

Ms. Smith will address ethical challenges presented by social media and offer guidelines for compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct with regard to confidentiality, online advertising and solicitation, use of social media for clients, and judges and social media.

If your client is petitioning to move with a custodial child, or if your client wishes to prevent the other parent from moving with the child, what are their options? What factors will Tennessee courts consider in deciding whether to allow the parent to relocate with the child(ren)? Will the parent’s relocation result in a change of custody?

Learn from Judge Binkley what factors a judge considers when deciding whether or not to terminate or modify a parent’s child support obligation. Judge Binkley will offer tips on when and how to seek modification or termination of your client’s child support obligation.

Disclaimer:Purchase of this product is for internal organizational use only and does not include the right to reproduce, resell or copy content. For questions on use of content, custom pricing, or to discuss external or third party use, please contact customer service at 800-727-5257.

Our guarantee

Your 100% satisfaction is guaranteed. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, simply let us know within 90 days, and we will issue you a complete refund.